Well, in my country people learn as teenagers or at their 20s basically because they need to eat. Sometimes their mothers work outside the home, so they need to learn even living at home. Other times they think it is cool (we have master chef and other TV shows), other times they move out of their homes to go to university, so they learn then. The point is most people, both men and women, learn to cook basics because it is a useful skill.

As you say, many people start cooking basics and then move to more complex recipes. I'm an average cook myself.

Some men want traditional women and project their fantasy on the young women regardless of truth. Women who cook doesn't need to be poor or traditional, many do it because they like it or they want to eat non processed food (in Europe people tend to cook a lot because of that). Doing your own cooking helps to eat healthier (and cheaper too, that is true XD).

You are more compasionate than me. I think compasion has limits. The men who feel left out but are respectful, deserve compasion. But the men who tell you that they don't want 47 years old women aren't being respectful. And the irony is that many times they are as old as you or even older.

Let's be honest here, 47 year old women have been 23 in the past. They've been hit on by older men 20 or more years their senior. And they remained polite even if they behave in disgusting ways. Well, times change and young women are speaking their minds and choosing to live their lives differently.

And women in their 40s have also learned that they have more options. The 23 years old women are more intelligent than those men think. They have learned from the 47s women and know what they want. And until those angry men learn that, they would remain "left out" because most people don't want someone who values only your reproductive capability and your skills to serve them.

Hell, science says that the quality of sperm depends on age too, so the sperm from men on their 40s is worse than the sperm of men at their 20s. If you want to go that route, men on their 20s provide healthier children.

But luckily, many people want more things from a relationship than reproduction. They exclude themselves. But you should focus on the men who are normal and not resentful. There are plenty of those and I'm sure they'll be happy to date you or even cook you a romantic dinner.